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Friday, January 5, 2018

Table Privilege

Privilege might seem like a obsessively modern term. We discuss it in terms of social leverage, financial, educational, gender and racial divides. But the divide is more ancient than modern. Take the story of the cross: Jospeh of Arimathea and the woman who followed Jesus.

All of the gospels tell Joseph's tale, a rich man, a powerful man religiously, socially and politically. When it comes to privilege, he had it all. All the gospels tell the women's tale as well. When it comes to privilege, they had less: less money, less power, less standing in their community, and less political influence.

Yet they all wanted the same thing: Jesus’ body. United in this common desire to honor their Rabbi, they were brave. Joseph was afraid of declaring himself yet goes to Pilate and asks for the body of Jesus. The women watched all the disciples/apostles but John flee, yet stand at the foot of the cross as mute witnesses to their own Lord’s death. United in their common desire to honor their Rabbi, they honor his corpse. Joseph takes the Lord’s body and brings the it to his own unused tomb. (Would that I ever had the opportunity to let Jesus take my place of honor.) The women follow him from afar to see where they can come after the Sabbath to bring their spices and prepare his body for burial.

In Jesus each of us bring all that we have-energy, time, money, standing-to the table as a gift. In our desire to honor the body of our Lord, we stand united at the table of communion. His table permits no divide: one Lord, one meal, one body. Thank God for the privilege of celebrating at His table. HelenePS. Interested in more of these devotionals? I'd love for you to subscribe and I will send you a FREE PDF/Ebook with 12 short communion devotionals each one perfect for savoring with a cup of coffee on Sunday morning!